If 60 is the new 50, as baby boomers are so proud of proclaiming, does that then mean that 30 is the new 20? That 20 is the new 10? That what was promoted as protracted youthfulness can also be seen as merely stubborn immaturity?

In Zach Braff's first film, the quietly charming "Garden State," he played a twenty-something single who acted more like a teenager - unfocused, oversensitive and socially maladroit.

Well, 10 years have passed, and in his new film, "Wish I Was Here," he's a thirty-something husband and dad. Yet he acts more like a twenty-ish single - professionally stalled, financially struggling and utterly selfish.

Man-boys of America, you have found your auteur.

But what makes Braff's films worth seeking out is that he honestly acknowledges the failings of his childish heroes (who are always a little in awe of their capable fathers).

And he has a nice style, marked by cool colors, slightly fish-eyed lenses, hip soundtracks and overly wide shots (with his alienated character posed against some cruelly ugly background).

"Wish I Was Here," the decade-late followup to "Garden State," isn't quite as enjoyable as that debut, but that's understandable; this film isn't about finding a new love, but reconnecting with an old one, and living up to some grown-up responsibilities.

For years, Braff's Aidan has been going out on auditions, mostly for parts he doesn't get. He lets his wife handle the household expenses; he expects his father to pay for the kids' private school tuitions. He's too busy, you see, chasing his dream.

But what if it's time to wake up?

Because, you see, it isn't just that Aidan isn't in touch with reality; he isn't in touch with his own family. He's not home, even when he is. As the title suggests, it's a nice place, but he isn't even visiting.

Braff is a good, rubbery-faced clown who doesn't mind working hard for a laugh, and he's fun here (even if his character is almost cluelessly selfish and spoiled). And Mandy Patinkin adds the gravitas as Aidan's conservative, disappointed father.

The real revelation, though, is Kate Hudson. She was always a happy movie survivor, a sunflower poking through the muck of one romantic comedy after another. But something's happened since "Bride Wars"; she's aged, grown up, mellowed a bit. She seems somehow more womanly here, and it's a calming, centered improvement.

Like "Garden State," this is a personal film - which means it's not as polished and predictable as some audiences would prefer. There are some fantasy sequences that aren't as clear (or even entertaining) as they should be, and a kind of out-of-left-field subplot featuring baby brother Josh Gad as a cosplay convention. And then there's the problematic character of Aidan himself.

But "Wish I Was Here" is a welcome, if belated, second chapter in a filmmaker's career. I just hope we don't have to wait another 10 years to see what he thinks about life as a forty-something - although I do hope, by then, his character has life a little more figured out.

Note: Newhouse News Service critic Stephen Whitty wrote this review.

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WISH I WAS HERE

3 stars, out of 5

Snapshot: Zach Braff's very late follow-up to "Garden State" is another study of arrested maturity, as a thirty-something actor - played by Braff - struggles to take some responsibility in life. Like, any.

What works: Braff has a nice style, marked by cool colors, slightly fish-eyed lenses, hip soundtracks and overly wide shots (with his alienated character posed against some cruelly ugly background).

What doesn't: As a hero, Braff can be annoying, but Braff finds the humor in him.